Ferrante Voicings
The great pianist/composer Russell Ferrante (of the Yellowjackets) has a unique brand of chordal harmony. While much of what he plays is as rich and complex as chocolate cake, it could be argued…
Two More Soundtrack Gems
Continuing the topic of soundtracks, I’d like to add two more films for consideration, both of which are now available on Netflix Instant. “Dhobi Ghat (Mumbai Diaries)” comes from…
A phone call from space
This is pretty amazing: On Sunday, my dad received a phone call from astronaut Mike Barratt aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery! He reported, “The view is spectacular up here.” Adding…
Goodnight Milton
Today we bid farewell to another musical giant, the one and only Milton Babbitt who died Sunday at 94. Babbitt’s boundary-pushing musical works posed challenges both for his audience…
Predicting File Size of MP3s (and others)
How one calculates the filesize of an mp3/aac/etc given its bitrate and length.
True Grit: Contraction-Free Zone
Diction was apparently important in the wild west, at least if you believe the Coen brothers whose latest film True Grit envisions a world in which people of every station enunciate like Shakespearian actors.…
The Battle with Time
The study of rhythm has been sadly neglected in the world of music education. Unlike other musical concepts, developing rhythmic proficiency is a topic that lacks a clear pedagogical…
Arvo Pärt’s Fratres
An intensely haunting piece played to perfection. The bell-like piano chords that enter at 1:24 should remind everyone of the impact Pärt has had on the Hollywood film industry.…
Farewell Lhasa
Either I’m really out of touch, or the music media is. But here it is September and I’m just learning that the great Lhasa de Sela died in January…
Versailles and Les Puces
To begin, Versailles was AWFUL. Oh so crowded, absurdly garish, and frankly, a bit weird. Sitting among the Louis XIV opulence were modern Japanese pop art pieces, displayed behind ropes, one in…
New Ambient
I went on an expedition today to seek out new ambient music. It was a tricky hunt. Ambient is a misused, misunderstood genre. If you refer back to Eno’s…
Goodnight, Mr. Charoenrat
I was quite saddened to learn of Darawan Charoenrat’s passing, especially since I’m only now hearing about it, three months after the fact. His legendary Thai restaurant Kanomwan on…
New Zealand on the Tiny Desk
NPR’s excellent music blog includes an ongoing feature called Tiny Desk Concert in which bands perform lo-fi sets from the station’s office (desks included). This week the site hosts…
Montemartre, Anyone?
Well kids, we finally did it. We finally booked our trip to Paris. This is particularly monumental being Steph’s first Euro vacay and all. But now that we have…
Parking Integers
There was a time when meaningful internet domain names remained widely available. This bygone era began in pre-web 1985*, if you can imagine, and ran until the gold rush for…
The Black Orpheus Mystery
Black Orpheus is a beautiful movie with an equally beautiful soundtrack. I recently found a copy of the original LP for $3, which is now in almost constant rotation.
The Zachary Breaux Jazz Fest (Jazz Where Least Expected)
Many years ago, guitarist Zachary Breaux took a vacation with his wife and three daughters to the sandy beaches of Florida. As they meandered along the shore the group…
The Freakishly Smart President
Which President earns the title Most Freakishly Smart?
“The Incredible Sounds of Synclavier II,” and other hits
One of the most expensive synthesizers ever made and arguably one of the most beautiful too. On how the Synclavier captured our imaginations...
The Perils of a Jazz Pianist’s Left-Hand
For the modern jazz pianist, the risk of developing disparities between the right and left hand is well-known and rarely discussed. It’s our secret shame. To understand this, try…
Soul of a City
It’s April, time for the Spring KUHF fundraiser. One of the gifts-with-donation this year is the Engines of our Ingenuity CD Soul of a City. This new multimedia package, the 11th…
Horace Silver Transcription, “Peace”
Horace Silver made his name working alongside Blakey, Rollins, and countless others. But later he would part ways with be-bop to explore the funkier aspects of jazz. His strong…
Phineas Newborn Transcription, Sugar Ray
Phineas Newborn was the pianist’s pianist. He died way too young and only recorded a few albums, all of them gems. I spent some time transcribing the “head” to…
“Crank It Down”: Music For Sleeping
Ambient music, it’s warm milk to a seasoned insomniac. It’s Ambien without the morning hangover. The sandman of choice for me has always been the genre’s master, Brian Eno. There’s just…
